Till Next Time
by KateMB
Summary: Picks up right where 4x10, "Cuffed", left off. Castle follows Beckett to the elevator...and her apartment.
1. Chapter 1

"Next time, let's do it without the tiger," Beckett says, grabbing her motorcycle helmet and walking away from him. "Next time," Castle ponders, trying to hold back his delight. As she heads to the elevator, she looks back at him, trying to hide any hint of excitement. She's grinning huge on the inside and thinking, 'A next time in bed would be amazing… Follow me, Castle.' She turns to look ahead, questioning what she just thought but also smiling from it. Would he be bold enough to follow her?

He thinks of her suggesting a 'next time' for a few moments and can't help but grin and feel there's much hope for them being together at some point. Maybe sooner than he expected? Perhaps if he followed her, after a long time being cuffed together, would she keep resisting him? He heads after her, calling out, "Kate, wait up!"

She holds the elevator door open for him. She smiles slightly as he stands beside her. "You're first in the elevator once again," he says. Her smile disappears, and she replies, "I didn't know you'd be joining me. Otherwise, I'd have let you go first." Neither one of them has pushed a button yet.

The elevator door closes, and he turns to her. "You said 'next time,'" he says. "Oh. Did I," she says cutely, her eyes looking up before glancing at him quickly. He grabs her left hand with his and says, "Being cuffed meant something."

She likes their left hands being together again. It's a familiar comfort. "We were together for hours," she says softly.

"You miss it, don't you," he asks, knowing he's right, and he misses it too.

"I think being cuffed to you was the most fun I ever had," she says seriously, turning to face him.

"You really would love for it to happen again, wouldn't you?"

"Under different circumstances. But not any time soon. My wrist is still sore."

He pulls her closer to him. Staring deep into her eyes, he says, "Right. Your preference would be some place more comfortable, not dangerous, and of your choice. Some time in the future. And we wouldn't be interrupted."

"Castle." She's becoming lost in his eyes, but quickly regains the upper hand. "Dare I ask what your preference would be," she inquires point-blank.

He smirks and whispers in her ear, "An actual bed." He pulls back to study her reaction. She closes her eyes and slips out: "Sounds perfect." His eyes widen as her eyes open and she smiles flirtatiously. He tries forming the word 'perfect' but can't, and she giggles at him. She holds his hand tighter and says, "There's really no one else I'd rather be cuffed with."

He takes a deep breath and asks, "In bed or anywhere or in the situation we were in?"

"Ummm," she pretends to think. She'd love to answer 'bed', but that would be pushing the envelope. "Anywhere," she says.

"Including bed?"

"Castle," she says, not wanting to admit 'yes'.

"Kate," he says seriously, gazing into her eyes intensely.

She's gazing back… "Rick." She's finding it harder to resist and keep her wall up. She has realized that being handcuffed to him the way they were for that long changed their relationship. The whole experience was a giant step forward. Of course, he's realized this too. What they endured tightened their blossoming bond. And they'll certainly never look at her handcuffs the same way again.

"Admit it," he demands gently, "Don't fight it." His eyes plead with her. 'Don't fight it,' she thinks, 'Don't. Fight. It. Don't fight it. Stop fighting! Stop resisting!' She moves her fingers to interlock with his. "Yes," she whispers, doing that thing where her eyes move from his eyes to his mouth and back again. Her mind takes her to another place – a place of passion and warmth and ecstasy – and she says, "A bed. With you. Cuffs or no cuffs."

Castle's eyes practically bug out of his head as he chokes on his breath. Did he hear what he thinks he heard? Did she really just put it out there that she wants to be in bed with him - cuffs or no cuffs? Did she really just say THAT?

Beckett can't believe it either, but the way she looks at him says it all. Yes indeed, she said what she said. And she isn't taking it back or trying to cover it up. 'Is this the Twilight Zone,' Castle wonders in his mind, 'Am I dreaming? Were we never even handcuffed cause it's all one big dream? Were we transported to an alternate universe?' "Kate… I'm speechless," he tells her.

"Wow. Rick Castle speechless," she responds, "I never thought that could happen."

"You never cease to take me by surprise," he says. He breaks their eye contact & handholding by finally pushing a button to go down. He wants to see what happens when they leave the elevator and the building. Does she want to be with him? Would she finally take a chance and give in?

"Mmm. Interesting," she replies. She bites her lip and gazes lustfully at his mouth. 'Could I actually do it,' she thinks, 'I've been dying to kiss him ever since I met him. That time undercover doesn't really count. And now we're closer than ever.' Those thoughts race through her quickly, and before he knows it, her helmet is on the floor and he's being shoved against the sidewall feeling her mouth crashing onto his.

Their lips meet passionately and fiercely, and she shuts her eyes. He moans with bewilderment & then with pleasure and closes his eyes. Her left arm snakes around his neck while her right hand interlocks with his left hand. His other hand finds itself tangled in her hair, drawing her deeper in the kiss, but she's still leading. And he follows. Oh, how he has longed to kiss her like this… She moans while opening her mouth and forcing his to open. Their tongues brush together briefly, and they both moan deeply.

Their kissing slows when they feel the elevator reach its destination. Their lips stay pressed together for a few moments longer before they quickly break away from each other. She grabs her helmet, and their eyes stay on the door, watching it open. She looks to him to see if he wants to exit first, but he gestures for her to go. He follows her all the way outside the building, wondering what happens now? The elevator was a safe haven for a swift lip-lock session, but clearly it's back to reality…

Beckett pulls him out of his thoughts when she turns around, walking backwards to her motorcycle, and says, "Do you dare follow me home, Castle?"

"That depends," Castle replies, "What's at home?" He resumes following her.

"Well, there's me," she says, "You'll have to do without the cuffs, though."

He catches up to her beside her bike. "I think I can handle that," he says.

She leans in close, her eyes dancing with delight. "I don't think you can."

He moans and whispers, "I'll have to follow you home and find out, won't I?"

She grins and searches their surroundings to make sure no one's around. She leans in more so their mouths are mere inches apart and whispers, "Yes, you will." She kisses him again, quickly, but it feels so much longer to both of them.


	2. Chapter 2

Beckett arrives at her apartment about fifteen minutes before Castle. She puts her helmet and jacket away. She looks around her place, feeling relieved to be home. She thinks of how selfish it is to have Castle follow her because she's sure he'd like to return to his home and see Alexis and Martha. She makes a promise not to keep him too long. She heads to her kitchen and begins brewing some coffee for the two of them. She needs it after what they went through while cuffed, and it'll help break the ice. Err…wall, in their case. She wonders what she's gotten herself into with all the teasing, flirting, kissing… She kissed him. That really happened! In the elevator. At the precinct. And she revealed more than she'd normally prefer. Sure, she's imagined them together in bed cuffed and not cuffed, but she can't believe her guard was down so much that she said 'yes' to being in a real bed with him. What the hell was going to happen once he showed up here?

That is the same exact thing he's wondering as he makes his way into her building and up to her floor. He smiles while in the elevator, remembering their delicious, passionate kiss. He could've sworn she tasted like cherries. Smells and tastes like them? Wow. The kiss took him by surprise and was so hot n' heavy that he didn't have time to figure out precisely what the taste was. He just knows it was sweet. And all her teasing and flirting… Wait, she really wants to be in an actual bed with him? Excitement courses through his body, and he smiles at the fact that he's breaking through her wall. How far will things go, he thinks as he approaches her door.

The knocking on her door brings a smile to her face. She hurries to answer, keeping the smile. He basks in the warmth of her beautiful face, locking eyes with her. He smiles back as they share a familiar loving gaze. She breaks it by moving aside to let him in. "It took you long enough," she says, letting out a soft nervous giggle.

"You got to your bike first. Plus, you're faster," he replies, removing his coat and hanging it on her coat rack.

She shuts the door, creeps up behind him, and whispers in his ear, "Next time I'm going faster, you're going to have to keep up with me." Her breath on his ear sends shivers through him. "And I don't mean when we're driving," she adds. She heads to the kitchen and says, "I wouldn't want you to get a speeding ticket." She laughs, and he grins while following her. He can't help but stare at her rear-end. Those jeans fit her nicely. His mind takes him back to when they were trying to move the freezer while they were cuffed. They seemed to fit together perfectly. It wasn't a pleasurable experience, overall, but that moment was pretty hot. And the noises she made…

Her lovely voice brings him back to the present: "You want some coffee?" She goes to the coffee maker to check that it's ready.

He stands near her, leaning against the island, and says, "I thought about stopping somewhere and picking up a cup of coffee for you."

"And you didn't," she states, pouring coffee into two mugs.

"I didn't want you to have to wait for me any longer than you had to."

She grins and replies, "How considerate, Castle. I've got you covered." She goes to her liquor cabinet and grabs a bottle. She returns to the coffee and holds up the bottle for him to see. "Want a bit of amaretto in your coffee," she inquires.

"Sure. Why not," he responds, "Can't hurt."

"Oh, if you want to hurt, I can make that happen," she teases.

"I'm sure you can."

She laughs and hands him a mug. He takes a sip and comments, "Mm, delicious."

"Yeah?" She gazes at him, and he grins. "Yes," he says. She stands beside him, clinks her mug to his, and takes a sip. Then she carries her mug to her gray couch, sitting down and crossing her legs. She looks over at him, and his smile warms her heart. She pats the couch beside her, indicating for him to sit down. He does, and they drink their coffee silently, stealing glances at each other.

At one point, Castle catches Beckett looking at him. "This really is good with the amaretto in it. Might be better than what's at the precinct," he tells her.

"I'm glad you like it," she replies, "I only put the amaretto in it on occasion."

"Well, you make damn good coffee. I wonder what else you can make that's good?"

"You mean besides breakfast?" They both think back to when her former apartment exploded, and she had to stay at his place.

He grins and says, "Yeah, besides breakfast."

She looks away, takes another sip, and responds, "Oh, I'm sure plenty of things. You'll just have to stay close if you want to find out what they are." She looks back at him and flashes a small smile.

They finish their coffee in peace and set their mugs on the coffee table. She reaches for his hand, taking it in hers. Their eyes lock once again, and she says, "I don't want to keep you too long. I'm sure you're dying to get home."

"Home to an empty house," he says.

Forget that promise, she thinks. "Oh, that's right. You told me Martha and Alexis are out of town." She stares ahead of them at nothing in particular, imagining that she could keep him here not just the rest of the day but also all night if she allowed herself. She smiles at that thought, which doesn't go unnoticed.

"What are you thinking, Detective?"

She looks back to him and answers, "Nothing."

"Oh, I know…," he says. "You're thinking that there's no reason for me to leave." His fingers interlock with hers.

Her hand grasps his tightly. She becomes lost in his eyes and whispers just loud enough for him to hear: "Right." Her eyes flick to his mouth and back to his eyes.

"Shall we pick up where we left off," he asks, observing the flick of her eyes.

She runs her other hand over his face, thumbing his cheek. "Was that kiss as amazing for you as it was for me?"

He glances at her mouth for a moment and then returns to her eyes. "You really have to ask that?"

She grins and leans forward, their mouths just mere inches apart. Her eyes light up, and she licks his lips slowly. "No." Her mouth presses against his, soft and warm. She tilts her head slightly and kisses him gently, letting him taste her. Cherries, coffee, and something sweet & addicting that he can't quite put his tongue on, so to speak. Whatever it is – it's goooood!

She feels a huge rush of heat run through her body, and she smiles when she feels his hand on her lower back. He tastes like coffee, no surprise there, but really, he's of a delicious flavor. Like a delectable piece of chocolate. Kissing him is that good! She tilts her head more and deepens the kiss, her hand gripping the back of his neck, making him moan. Their mouths still move slowly together; they want to savor each other. Their other hands remain fastened together.

Beckett pulls away a little breathlessly and rests her forehead against his. "Rick," she whispers.

"I know," Castle replies, a little out of breath himself. He takes a breath and adds, "Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it."

"It's magic, right," she wonders, flashing him a cheerful smile.

"Yeah…" Before he can say anything more, she kisses him again. This time, she's not so gentle. Her fingers rake through his hair as she kisses him hard, making them both moan. Her mouth opens, and he feels her tongue sliding between his lips. He opens his mouth, welcoming her luscious tongue, and he can't help but moan.

She lets out a deep moan when she feels his fingers tug at the bottom of her shirt and slip underneath, touching her smooth skin. His fingers press on her back, causing her to gasp. Just when he grips her waist, she pulls away, breaking all physical contact between them. She leans back against the couch, resting her hands on her thigh. They're both breathless. He stares at her, and she smiles with a mischievous look in her eyes.

When his breathing calms down, he asks, "Is that all I get?"

She giggles and responds, "How much more do you want?"

He leans close to her and says huskily in her ear, "So much more. So. Very. Much." His voice and the feel of his hot breath on her ear forces her to close her eyes and take a deep breath. He pulls back, and his voice turns serious: "Kate… Where do we go from here?"

"I'm not sure," she replies, turning her head to look at him. "It's not like I planned this." She pauses and whispers, "Just…not too far."

"Whatever you want," he says wholeheartedly.

"But what do you want," she asks, taking him a little by surprise.

He keeps the mood lighthearted, not wanting to pressure her or make her hide behind her wall. "Well…" He looks cute as he pretends to think. She sits up, turns more towards him, and grins. "Weellll," she draws out the word. She watches his hand land on her thigh and creep up to her waist. "I want to know where your tattoo is," he says.

She bites her lip and says, "You haven't forgotten about that?"

"Not a chance in hell," he declares.

"Hmm, I don't think I can allow you to see that. Yet."

"What can I see?" He leans in close and stares deep into her eyes. "Your ice cube trick?"

She moans and replies seductively, "I don't think you could handle that."

His voice is husky again. "You don't know what I could handle."

Her eyes flick to his mouth and back to his eyes. "You don't even know how many tricks I know."

He chokes on his breath and falls back against the couch. She smirks and begins laughing at him. "You are just so easy."

"Don't tell me you were joking?"

"I wasn't. I wasn't. It's just…you…"

He sits up and smoothes her hair behind her ear. Their eyes lock again. "Don't you know how much I want you? I hang on to your every word."

"I know." She smiles nervously and kisses him softly. She sets her hand on his thigh and says in his ear, "You'll have me." She smiles seductively and plants kisses all over his ear, making him grin. He moans when she sucks on his earlobe and then gasps when she tugs on it hard with her teeth.

She kisses across his jaw and down his neck. He breathes heavier as waves of heat rush through his body. She lands on one spot and sucks him fiercely. He groans loudly and asks, "Now?" She bites him hard, not caring if she leaves a mark, and he gasps. She pulls back and says, "What's your rush?"

"I'm under the impression that you like going fast."

Beckett drops her head to his shoulder, laughing, and Castle thinks her laugh is so sexy. She breathes onto his other ear and bites his earlobe. "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't," she purrs. God, how she loves to tease him!

He smirks and watches her lie down on the couch and stretches her legs across his lap. "My boots are killing me. Could you pull them off?" She pauses and glances at him sweetly. "Please," she adds.

He smiles at her and proceeds to remove her boots while saying, "'Take off my boots again.' I should like where this is headed this time, right?" He smirks again, and she rolls her eyes.

"Don't get too excited, Castle."

"Really," he wonders, setting her boots on the floor. He kicks his own shoes off, and his hands make their way slowly up her legs and thighs as he moves to hover above her. She tries to hold back a gasp but can't as she enjoys his hands feeling her through her jeans. She gasps again when his hands reach the bottom of her shirt and slip underneath. He kisses what little of her neck he can, and she moans. Curse that damn turtleneck she's wearing!

His hands grab hold of her waist as his mouth lands on hers in a fiery assault. They both moan deeply, and it doesn't take long for his tongue to come in contact with hers. She moans in frustration when he breaks away abruptly. "I really like kissing you," he says breathlessly. Before she has a chance to respond, he's kissing her again, harder than before. She wraps her arms around him, her hands gripping his back tightly through his shirt.

His hands run up her back, and she sighs when they reach her bra. She bends her knees, opens her legs, and holds him against her, her turtleneck starting to feel too warm to keep on. They both moan again & again, and he feels himself start to sweat a bit under his shirt, mostly where her hands are pressing on him. Their tongues wrestle intensely, and her groin moves against, almost involuntarily. She feels just how excited he is, which excites her more. His excitement is fueled by the fact that he can't believe he's doing this right now. With her. She can't believe it either.

When he tugs on her bra, clearly wanting to remove it, she moans in protest and pushes him away. Both are insanely breathless as she stretches her legs and he sits up, partially straddling her. "I don't want this to go too far," she pants loudly.

He waits till he catches his breath to responds sexily: "Oh, Kate… We both know you want to." He grins, and she raises one eyebrow cutely. He then says seriously, "I won't force you. I would never-" She cuts him off: "I know." He allows her to sit up, and he tells her, "There's no reason we can't keep kissing."

She smiles flirtatiously and says, "True. But we should relax a bit."

He kisses her cheek and says softly in her ear, "You're a real tiger."

She giggles seductively and replies, "Better than the one we were stuck with."

"Much better," he whispers before kissing and licking her ear. She moans, and her left hand reaches for his. Their left hands together again, he pulls back smiling.

Their eyes lock lovingly, and she asks, "Are you hungry? I've got some cherries in the fridge."

"Do you," he responds, "No wonder you taste like them."

She can't help but grin. "They're my favorite fruit."

He runs a hand over her face and kisses her fully yet gently. Their left hands remain together as they get up and make their way to her fridge to share some cherries.


End file.
